Fergus Garrett, head gardener at Great Dixter near the south coast of England, will present two lectures during the "Growing Great Gardeners" symposium on Sept. 19.

Garrett has cared for Great Dixter – the former home of gardener and garden writer Christopher Lloyd – since 1992.

"He's one of the leading gardeners in the world today," said Linda Cobb, a local gardener who writes a bimonthly column for the Herald-Journal. "This is a big deal."

The symposium will raise money for a scholarship fund that will send a local gardener to Great Dixter for training and for the college's Horticulture Department. Tickets are $60 each.

Cobb, who described Garrett as a friend and invited him to the symposium, said she expects the event to sell out. Another 100 tickets will be sold for $100 each for a Friday night dinner with Garrett.

She said she already knows of gardeners who will come from Texas, Connecticut, California and Tennessee for the symposium.

"Not everybody knows who Fergus Garrett is here," Cobb said. "But the dedicated gardeners do. The world is full of gardeners, but there are very few who do as much as he does."

Garrett will be joined in Spartanburg by Aaron Bertelsen, another Great Dixter horticulturalist and graduate of the Royal Botanic Garden Kew. Bertelsen, who manages the 15th-century manor at Great Dixter, will also give a lecture.

Kevin Parris, a horticulture instructor and arboretum coordinator at the community college, said the school is excited to host Garrett.

Great Dixter, he said, "is definitely one of the gardens on the bucket list."

Parris said it was hard to put Garrett's visit into perspective because gardens are held in much higher esteem overseas.

In America, gardeners are second-tier status, he said. But in England, they are revered.

"To understand how important this visit is, we need to have an understanding of the reverence many in England have for gardens," Parris said. "Truthfully, the average American, because of our fast pace, mobile lifestyle, does not get it. I think anyone who hears Fergus Garrett speak will get a sense of what we are missing by not having an allegiance to a piece of ground."

Parris, who spoke as he and others worked to landscape the college's new downtown campus, said the symposium was a unique opportunity for Spartanburg and said he and others in the horticulture department were excited to show Garrett the college's gardens.

"We're proud of the diverse landscape we've got," he said.

Those gardens and the school's arboretum have been a regular stopping point for international travelers, Parris said.

In the past year, horticulturists from six countries have visited the campus, and the school receives regular comments from Asia, Europe and Australia, he said.

"We're starting to get comfortable with it," Parris said.

Garrett will spend two days in Spartanburg before traveling to New York to accept the Landscape Award at LongHouse Reserve in New York, Cobb said. The day before the symposium, he will tour local gardens and arboretums and get a taste of Southern culture. He's also expected to meet with the community college's students.

Cobb said Spartanburg's gardens will compare favorably with those she's seen in Europe.

She's toured the continent 10 times, including six times studying under Garrett at Great Dixter.

"I think we're on an equal footing with them," Cobb said. "That's because we're Spartanburg and we care."

<p>A world-renowned horticulturalist will visit Spartanburg this September to tour the city's gardens and present a symposium at Spartanburg Community College.</p><p>Fergus Garrett, head gardener at Great Dixter near the south coast of England, will present two lectures during the "Growing Great Gardeners" symposium on Sept. 19.</p><p>Garrett has cared for Great Dixter – the former home of gardener and garden writer Christopher Lloyd – since 1992.</p><p>"He's one of the leading gardeners in the world today," said Linda Cobb, a local gardener who writes a bimonthly column for the Herald-Journal. "This is a big deal."</p><p>The symposium will raise money for a scholarship fund that will send a local gardener to Great Dixter for training and for the college's Horticulture Department. Tickets are $60 each.</p><p>Cobb, who described Garrett as a friend and invited him to the symposium, said she expects the event to sell out. Another 100 tickets will be sold for $100 each for a Friday night dinner with Garrett.</p><p>She said she already knows of gardeners who will come from Texas, Connecticut, California and Tennessee for the symposium.</p><p>"Not everybody knows who Fergus Garrett is here," Cobb said. "But the dedicated gardeners do. The world is full of gardeners, but there are very few who do as much as he does."</p><p>Garrett will be joined in Spartanburg by Aaron Bertelsen, another Great Dixter horticulturalist and graduate of the Royal Botanic Garden Kew. Bertelsen, who manages the 15th-century manor at Great Dixter, will also give a lecture.</p><p>Kevin Parris, a horticulture instructor and arboretum coordinator at the community college, said the school is excited to host Garrett.</p><p>Great Dixter, he said, "is definitely one of the gardens on the bucket list."</p><p>Parris said it was hard to put Garrett's visit into perspective because gardens are held in much higher esteem overseas. </p><p>In America, gardeners are second-tier status, he said. But in England, they are revered.</p><p>"To understand how important this visit is, we need to have an understanding of the reverence many in England have for gardens," Parris said. "Truthfully, the average American, because of our fast pace, mobile lifestyle, does not get it. I think anyone who hears Fergus Garrett speak will get a sense of what we are missing by not having an allegiance to a piece of ground."</p><p>Parris, who spoke as he and others worked to landscape the college's new downtown campus, said the symposium was a unique opportunity for Spartanburg and said he and others in the horticulture department were excited to show Garrett the college's gardens.</p><p>"We're proud of the diverse landscape we've got," he said.</p><p>Those gardens and the school's arboretum have been a regular stopping point for international travelers, Parris said.</p><p>In the past year, horticulturists from six countries have visited the campus, and the school receives regular comments from Asia, Europe and Australia, he said.</p><p>"We're starting to get comfortable with it," Parris said.</p><p>Garrett will spend two days in Spartanburg before traveling to New York to accept the Landscape Award at LongHouse Reserve in New York, Cobb said. The day before the symposium, he will tour local gardens and arboretums and get a taste of Southern culture. He's also expected to meet with the community college's students.</p><p>Cobb said Spartanburg's gardens will compare favorably with those she's seen in Europe.</p><p>She's toured the continent 10 times, including six times studying under Garrett at Great Dixter.</p><p>"I think we're on an equal footing with them," Cobb said. "That's because we're Spartanburg and we care."</p>